Valve construction



Dec. l5, 1964 J. F. GRUNDMANN 3,161,206

VALVE: CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 2, 1961 JOHN F. GR UNDMANN INVENTOR KEN DRICK,SCH RAMM 8u STO LZY ATTORNEYS.

United States hatent @dice liiidb Patented Dec., l5, 1964 3,l6i,2i36 VALVE @NSTRUCTN .lohn F. Srundmann, 651 S. irene Ave., Redondo iscach, Calif. Filed Nov. 2, llirsi, Ser. No. 149,567 d Claims. till. 1MM-433) This invention relates to the iiuid mechanics art, and more particularly to appmatus for controlling the flow o` fluid.

Although the present invention will have application in a great many iields and is not therefore to be limited to any particular one including that described in this paragraph, it has been found especially useful in the control of the circulation of hot water in coin-operated vending machines for dispensing brewed coffee, brewed coffee being distinguished from coiiee made by mixing a pulverized dehydrated coiiee bean extract or instant coiee with hot water.

New and improved component parts may be employed to advantage in accordance with the present invention. One of these is a iluid ow control device including a float operated check valve, or a gravity operated check valve.

According to a feature of the present invention, the iiuid iiow control device or check valve may include a cylindrical pipe having a lower internal cavity of a predetermined diameter, a middle internal cavity of a second predetermined diameter greater than said iirst predetermined diameter, and an annular shoulder at the upper end of the lower internal cavity, a cylindrical float extending downwardly in the lower internal cavity into the middle internal cavity. ri`he average density of the 'loat is less than that of iiuid in the pipe section. A discshaped flange having a diameter less than the second predetermined diameter and greater than the irstpredetermined diameter is then fixed to the upper end of the float in the middle internal cavity in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the float to seat on the shoulder when pressure above the iioat exceeds the pressure below the float by a predetermined value. Stop means to limit movement of the disc-shaped flange on the float upwardly in the middle internal cavity beyond a predetermined distance from the shoulder is also provided. The stop means may comprise a spider iixed to the pipe section internally thereof above the disc-shaped liange. A pin is then fixed to the disc-shaped iloat at the center thereof in a position extending downwardly in the pipe section to limit the upward vertical movement of the oat therein.

According to still another feature of the present invention, a iiuid iow control device or check valve may include that described in the paragraph immediately preceding this paragraph with the exception that an annular flange may be provided that extends radially inward at the upper end of the middle internal cavity, and an upper internal cavity is provided above the annular tiange having a third predetermined diameter less than the annular flange inside diameter, the annular flange inside diameter also being less than the second predetermined diameter. A spider assembly is then provided in the upper internal cavity, the spider assembly including a spider slidable vertically in the upper internal cavity and having an outside diameter greater than the annular flange inside diameter to rest thereon, the spider assembly also including a projection iixed centrally with the spider extending downwardly into the middle internal cavity to hold the disc-shaped flange on the iloat in spaced relation to the annular ilange when the spider rests thereon, the spider assembly having an average density greater than that of the fluid.

The above-described and other advantages ot the present invention will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, vhicli are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FI". l is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of a valve;

FiG. 2 is -a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of the valve shown in FlG. 2;

FIG; 3 is a broken away longitudinal sectional view of another valve;

Fifi. 4. is a perspective view partly in section of a float employed in both of the valves illustrated in FIGS. l and 3.

Details of two valves and 29 are illustrated in FIGS. l, 2, 3 and 4. Valve 29 is illustrated in FIG. l including a fitting 57 threaded into a housing 5S, and an O-ring "9 provided therebetween. A spider assembly dil is Located in the lower end of titting 57 to support a stop pin therein, stop pin 6l being welded to a spider 62 which in turn is welded to an internal bore 63 in fitting 57. Fitting 57 is provided with a flange at 6d having a bore 65 therein to permit the ilow of liuid in either direction through fitting 57. Pin 6l prevents a iloat indicated at 66 from rising further in housing 53 than the dotted line position shown at 67. This means that iluid can ilow in either direction around iloat '66 provided pressure above r'loat 6d is not suilicient to cause the valve to close. W never generally iiows downwardly in valve The flow of water in valve 29 when iloat ed is in the position indicated at 67 is upwardly between iloat do lower and middle internal cavities o3 and o9 of the valve, and upwardly into an upper internal cavity thereor defined by bore 63 over the top of float 66 through the bore 65 of tlange ed.

Float do is provided with a cylindrical body portion 7) having radially projecting flange "ill fixed to or made integral with its upper end providing a valve to seat on a Valve seat or shoulder 72 of housing 53 when the pressure above valve fl exceeds the pressure therebelow as viewed in FIG. l.

Valve is a float operated valve. For this reason, for the valve to remain open, the average density of the iloat de must be less than that of the medium in which it is used. This is the reason the valve 65 normally occupies the position indicated in dotted lines at d?.

As shown in YG. 2, spider all is made up of curved pieces oi copper sheet material indicated at '73 welded both at points 7d and '75 to pin 6l and bore 63 of tting 77, respectively. Float do is also indicated in FIG. 4 and as can be seen may be made of a piece of plastic material on a lathe or molded with flange 7l integral with cylindrical portions The bore 'i6 of cylindrical portion '7d may be drilled. A plastic disc 77 may be press t into the lower end of float ed as shown in FIG. 4 and cemented in that position.

An upper portion of valve 23 is shown in FIG. 3, the lower portion thereof being identical to the lower portion of valve 29 shown in FlG. l. As a matter of fact, all of the structure shown in FIG. 3 may be identical to that illustrated in FlG. l with the exception that welds at the point '75 are not provided, whereby the spider 73 therein may move vertically from the position shown therein to the position indicated in dotted lines at 79. Spider '73 which is fixed to pin 53 simply provides a weight which is movable.

As stated previously, the construction of valve 28 otherwise may be identical to that or" valve 29. In particular, fittings Sti and 57 may be identical as well as O-rings 8l and 59. The saine is true for spiders 78 and 6i? as well as housings 54 and 53 and tloats 55 and di?.

Float 55 is shown in soli-d lines in FIG. 3 in a closed position "having a iiange $4 fixed to or integral with its upperend in lengagement with a shoulder or valve seat S5 inside body 54. Valve 2S closes when iioat 55 is in the position shown in solid lines. Float 55 can move to the dotted line position indicated at 36 in FG. 4 and thereby close a bore 87 of a flange SS fixed to the lower end of fitting 80 by engagement of flange 34 therewith.

Float 55 may also be maintained in a position not shown in FIG. 3. This position is assumed by the upper end of flange 84 abutting the lower end of pin 53 in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. In this regard, it is to be noted that spider 73 and pin 53 are prevented from falling inside housing 54 or inside bore 56 of fitting S0 farther than ange 588 because the outer edges of spider 7S reston fiange 8S. The buoyancy of float '55 is less than the weight of spider 78 in pin S3. That is, the upper end of fiange $4 abuts the lower end of pin 53 in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated that valve 23 is not only a float operated valve, but also a gravity operated valve.

In addition to the foregoing features, another is also provided in that valve 28 closes when the differential pressure thereacross exceeds a predetermined amount regardless of on which side of the valve the pressure is highest.

Another outstanding feature of the invention is the use of the particular valves 25 and 29 of the constructions illustrated in FGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4. These valves are extremely sensitive and accurate.

Although only one specific embodiment of the system of the invention has been described and illustrated, it is to. be expressly understood that the invention is by no means limited to the embodiment selected to be so described and illustrated. Many changes and modifications of the invention will of vcourse suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art. Thus, the invention is defined only in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A duid fiow control device comprising: a vertically disposed cylindrical pipe; a iiuid in said pipe; an annular shoulder inside of said pipe; a cylindrical fioat having a diameter suficiently small at one of its ends to project through said annular shoulder inside said pipe on one side Nevertheless, neither of v the valves 28 or 29 are operated electrically.

.vertically in said upper internal cavity and having an outside diameter .greater than said annular fiange inside diameter to rest thereon, said spider assembly also including a projection fixed centrally with said spider extending downwardly into said middle internalicavity to hold said disc-shaped oat flange in spaced relationrto said annular flange when said spider rests thereon, said spider assembly having an average density greater than that of said huid. 4

3; A valve construction comprising:V a cylindrical pipe having a lower internal cavity of a predetermined diameter, a middle internal cavity of a rsecond predetermined diameter greater than said first predetermined diameter, and an annular shoulder at the upper end of said lower internal cavity; a cylindrical float extending downwardly in said lower internal cavity in spaced relation thereto, the upper end of said fioat extending into said middle internal cavity; a fluid in vsaid pipe section, the average density in said fioat being less than that of said fluid; a disc-shaped fiange having a diameter less than said second predetermined diameter and greater than said first predetermined diameter fixed lto the upper -end of said float in said middle internal cavity in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said fioat `to` seat on said shoulder when the pressure above said float exceeds the pressure below said ioat; and stop means to limit movement of said disc-shaped iiange on said float upwardly in said middle internal cavity beyond a predetermined distance from said shoulder. f

4. A valve construction comprising: a cylindrical pipe having a lower internal 'cavity of a predetermined diameter, a middle internal cavity of a second predetermined l diameter greater than said first predetermined diameter,

of said shoulder, said pipe on one side of 'said shoulder having a diameter to guide vertical movement of said one end of vsaid fioa't therein, said float having a'radially projecting fiange. at the other of its Vends -to seat on said' shoulder when the pressure in said pipe above said shoulder is greater than the pressure therebelow, said float having an average density less than that of said Huid; and stop means to resist upward vvertical movement of said flange to a predetermined distanceA from said shoulder, said stop means including a spider assembly movable vertically.

2. A 'fiuid o-W'control device comprising: a cylindrical pipe having a lower internal cavity of a first predetermined diameter, a middle internal cavity of a second predetermined diameter greater than said first predetermined diameter, an annular shoulder at the upper end of said lower internal cavity, an annular flange extendingA radial-ly inward at the upper end of said middle internal cavity, and an upper internal cavity above said annular ange having a third predetermined diameter less than said annular ange inside diameter, said annular flange inside diameter also being less than said second predetermined diameter; a cylindrical vfioat extending downwardly in said lower internal cavity in spaced relation thereto, the upper end of said oat extending into said middle internal cavity; a fluid in said pipe, said float having an average density less than that of said fluid; a disc-shaped ange fixed to the upper end of said float in said middle internal cavity in a plane approximately perpendicular =to the axis of said iioat, said disc-shaped flange and an annular shoulder at the upper end of said lower internal cavity; a cylindrical float extending downwardly in said lower internal cavity in spaced relation thereto, the upper end of said float extending into said middle internal cavity; a fluid in said pipe section, the average density in said float being less than that of said vfiuid; a disc-shaped flange having a diameter less than said second predetermined diameter and greater than said first predetermined Vdiameter 4fixed to the upper end of said float in said middleinternal cavity in a plane approximately perpendicular tothe axis of said float to seat on said shoulder when the pressure above said float exceeds the pressure below said tioat; stop means to limit movement of said disc-shaped flange on said float upwardly in said middle internal cavity` beyond a predetermined distancefrom said shoulder; Ya spider iixed to said pipe internally thereof above said disc-shaped flange; and a pin fixed to said spider at the center thereof in a position extending downwardly insaid pipe section to limit movement of said disc-shaped'iiange on said float upwardly in said middle internal cavity beyond a predetermined distance from said shoulder by contact of the lower end of said pin with the center of said disc-shaped flange.

` References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES .PATENTS 1,162,408 Shaffer NOV. 30, 1915 1,549,007 Khun Aug. 1l, 1925 1,897,492 Ledoux Feb. 14, 1933 2,759,638 Howard Aug. 21, 1956 2,784,733 Martnez Mar. l2, 1957 A2,871,875 Dale Feb. 3, 1959 2,982,447 Austin MayV 2, 1961 

1. A FLUID FLOW CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING: A VERTICALLY DISPOSED CYLINDRICAL PIPE; A FLUID IN SAID PIPE; AN ANNULAR SHOULDER INSIDE OF SAID PIPE; A CYLINDRICAL FLOAT HAVING A DIAMETER SUFFICIENTLY SMALL AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO PROJECT THROUGH SAID ANNULAR SHOULDER INSIDE SAID PIPE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SHOULDER, SAID PIPE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SHOULDER HAVING A DIAMETER TO GUIDE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE END OF SAID FLOAT THEREIN, SAID FLOAT HAVING A RADIALLY PROJECTING FLANGE AT THE OTHER OF ITS ENDS TO SEAT ON SAID SHOULDER WHEN THE PRESSURE IN SAID PIPE ABOVE SAID SHOULDER IS GREATER THAN THE PRESSURE THEREBELOW, SAID FLOAT HAVING AN AVERAGE DENSITY LESS THAN THAT OF SAID FLUID; AND STOP MEANS TO RESIST UPWARD VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FLANGE TO A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID SHOULDER, SAID STOP MEANS INCLUDING A SPIDER ASSEMBLY MOVABLE VERTICALLY. 